Buddy Tate

Buddy Tate is heard on two separate sessions recorded five years apart. The first features the big-toned tenor saxophonist with organist Milt Buckner on a ballad-oriented date, along with drummer Wallace Bishop. Unfortunately, the recording engineer used a bit too much reverb during a number of the songs and Buckner's organ-playing borders on easy listening, sounding like a mall demonstrator from the late '60s. Even though the latter session with Wild Bill Davis (heard only in part, as it was originally issued on LP in full) has a similar format, Tate benefits from the latter organist's more inspired playing. Guitarist Floyd Smith and drummer Chris Columbo are also on hand, though they pretty much stay in the background, with Smith taking a brief chorus in the bluesy setting of "Willow Weep for Me." Overall, these sessions are a bit low-key, though from the evidence of the cover photo, they obviously were marketed by the Black & Blue label toward late-night listening. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide